Trolling motors are devices commonly used by fishermen to quietly and slowly propel boats over bodies of water. Trolling motors have been in use for a number of years. Trolling motors are normally positioned on the bow of a boat, using a fixed mount that allows the trolling motor to be lowered into and raised out of the water. The raising and lowering of the trolling motor has traditionally been accomplished with a lift cord device comprised of a length of rope threaded through an opening on the trolling motor frame and attached to the eyelet of the trolling motor locking mechanism on one end, and a simple handle on the other end for the user to grasp and pull. To lift the trolling motor the user must pull on the lift cord, which disengages a locking mechanism, often referred to as a lockslide pin, and then continue pulling the cord until the trolling motor fully folds into the desired position. The conventional lift cord device is made of standard rope constructed from braided or twisted natural fibers (such as cotton, hemp, etc.) or man-made fibers (such as nylon, polypropylene, polyester, etc.).
The lift cord is typically connected to the trolling motor by passing it through a hole in the locking mechanism and tying a knot to secure it. On the end of the lift cord opposite the trolling motor locking mechanism there is normally a lifting handle. The handle of the conventional lift cord is a simple oblong device constructed of a rigid plastic or wood that fits into the palm of the user's hand. The handle is typically connected to the lift cord by passing the lift cord through a hole in the handle and securing it within a cavity in the handle by tying a knot that prevents the lift cord from passing back through the hole in the handle. In this format, the cord and handle form a T-shape, with the cord passing through a user's fingers when the user grips the handle. To the present, seemingly all trolling motors have been manufactured with this standard lift cord comprised of rope and a simple handle.
One problem with the conventional trolling motor lift cord and the replacement lift cords available prior to the present invention is the fact that the lift cord often breaks. Because of the materials traditionally used in manufacturing trolling motor lift cords, prolonged use of the cords frequently results in cord breakage. Moreover, in the past few years trolling motors have grown in size and weight, which has put further stress on the conventional lift cord. As a result, lift cord breakage occurs even more frequently than ever before. If the cord breaks, it is very difficult for the user to lift the trolling motor out of the water. This can create a dangerous situation where the user is bending over the edge of the boat in an attempt to lift the trolling motor, which could result in the user falling into the water and drowning. This also creates a dangerous situation in that the user cannot drive the boat under the power of the main engine with the trolling motor in the down position, since this would create a damaging scenario for the trolling motor and the hull of the boat, which could cause injury or death to the user.
Another problem with the conventional cord and other attempts at using different cord materials, is that the attachment of the cord to the trolling motor is difficult, time consuming, and costly. Although traditional cord materials may be relatively easy to tie into a knot, confined spaces may make tying a knot to the locking mechanism difficult. Additionally, the tightly enclosed and confined spaces surrounding the trolling motor locking mechanism make the use of tools or brackets difficult, making replacement of the conventional lift cord complicated and potentially dangerous when the user is on a boat in the water.
Another problem with the conventional cord is that the handle of the standard trolling motor lift cord is a simple oblong handle made of rigid material that fits into the user's palm. The conventional handle does not have a soft, padded surface to help cushion the hand of the user from the force required to lift the heavy trolling motor. Additionally, because the conventional cord passes between the user's fingers, the cord can cause cuts or abrasions on the user's fingers.
Another problem with the conventional cord is that the rope by nature will stretch when under load of being pulled. This stretching of the cord causes the user to exert more force and work harder to disengage the locking pin of the trolling motor and lift the trolling motor to the upright position.
The problems related to conventional trolling motor lift cord breakage have been recognized by others in the field, including U.S. Pat. No. 6,808,431 to Neely. However, Neely and others in the prior art address the problem through other mechanical assemblies that can be used if the cord breaks rather than solving the underlying problem. There are no known examples of patented trolling motor lift cord devices as set forth herein.
While the conventional lift cord may be suitable for its particular purpose for some amount of time, they are not a suitable long-term solution to serve in the moving of the heavy trolling motor from the lowered position to the raised position. Furthermore, conventional lift cords are not desirable as a replacement lift cord, due to the difficulty in replacing the conventional cord and due to the need to continually replace them as they break.
In these respects, the Improved Trolling Motor Lift Cord Apparatus according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of assisting in the moving of a trolling motor between a lowered position and a raised position, which is improved to ease installation, eliminate breakage, improve user comfort, and increase life of the product.